Dia Mirza on Playing Kamalpreet Kaur Dhanoa in *Operation Safed Sagar: “She Held the Women Together”
As India prepares to revisit one of the most defining chapters in its military history, Operation Safed Sagar brings to screen the courage, precision and sacrifice that shaped the Indian Air Force’s historic mission during the 1999 Kargil War. Set against the backdrop of the Golden Arrows, the IAF squadron whose bravery in the skies played a pivotal role in India’s victory, the upcoming Netflix series also shines a light on the untold stories of the families who stood steadfastly behind the men in uniform.
Dia Mirza essays the role of Kamalpreet Kaur Dhanoa, a woman whose quiet strength and unwavering resilience became an anchor for the families of Air Force officers during one of the nation’s most challenging times. Through her character, the series offers a poignant glimpse into the emotional realities of military families, honouring the courage of those who served from the home front.
Speaking about portraying Kamalpreet Kaur Dhanoa at the trailer launch, Dia Mirza said, “Kamal Maam’s part in this story was one of an anchor, somebody who held the women together, who really connected them as a force while their husbands were on the mission and what it meant to her and the women to experience what it was. Even the women that marry into the Air Force don’t know what to expect. They may hear stories but you can never really fully prepare for reality when it occurs. I think one of the big takeaways for me as a wife and as a woman, and as a mother was this line that ‘every single day when their husbands step out of the home they bid them goodbye with a smile on their face even if they’ve had the biggest fight the night before’ and it’s a powerful reality to be rooted in and a very very terrifying one and like Amrita so eloquently explained that it’s impossible for us to ever truly know but we can try and I think we did.” Reflecting on one of the most powerful realities at the heart of the story: the quiet strength of wives who send their husbands off with a smile, knowing they carry the possibility that it could be the last time they see them.
With Operation Safed Sagar, Dia Mirza adds another compelling chapter to her filmography, bringing to life a character that celebrates the resilience, fortitude and unwavering spirit of the women who stood together during the Kargil War. While the series honours the extraordinary bravery of the Indian Air Force personnel who served the nation, it also pays tribute to the families whose quiet courage and steadfast support became an inseparable part of that story.
Directed by Oni Sen, Operation Safed Sagar stars Jimmy Shergill, Adil Hussain, Mihir Ahuja, Abhay Verma, Taaruk Raina, Prajakta Koli and Dia Mirza. The series premieres on August 7, exclusively on Netflix.